Carmakers' deception game

They say never to trust a used car dealer. If a #link:http://www.theicct.org/blogs/staff/vehicle-co2-testing-eu-still-struggling:recently released study# by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) is to be believed, the same could be said of new cars, too. According to the report, there's a "systematic gap" between how efficient automakers say their vehicles are, and how efficient they really are.

According to the authors, real-world fuel consumption and CO2 emissions of new cars often exceed carmakers' official data by as much as 40 percent.

"[We made] use of data for more than half a million vehicles, from vehicle driver websites as well as fleet operators and car magazines," said ICCT's Europe Managing Director, Peter Mock.

The nonprofit environmental research institute warned of an "ever-growing gap" between reported and observed data. "In 2001, new vehicles consumed about 10 percent more fuel than claimed in the sales brochure. In 2014, that number was 40 percent," said Mock.

Reality check

The emission and fuel consumption tests are carried out in temperature-controlled laboratories. This procedure, known as the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC), was last updated in 1997, takes only 20 minutes and involves no driving on actual roads. During this test, eco-unfriendly accessories such as the air conditioning system, the car radio or even the headlights - all of which drive up fuel consumption - are turned off.

"On top of this, they only use base model cars without additional weight," explained Sonja Schmidt, an inspector with Germany's main automobile organization, ADAC. "They leave out too many things, which leads to fuel consumption results that don't bear any resemblance to what you'd see in the real world."

Some manufacturers also like to get "creative, in order to touch up the test results," said Michael Müller-Görnert of the German VCD car club. "They tape the panel gaps shut, remove the side-view mirrors and increase the disc brakes' distance to the wheel [so as to minimize any potential friction]. This reduces the vehicle's aerodynamic drag and increases efficiency. They take such practices to the extreme. And it's all possible, because the test standards are so poorly defined."

Better efficiency

It's these types of tricks that have drawn the ire of the ICCT. According to the San Franciso-based organization's calculations, a buyer of a new car should expect to fork out around 450 euros ($505) more on gas, than the official estimates would have them believe.

"That's misleading consumers. This kind of double-dealing has got to stop," demanded Karl-Heinz Florenz, a German member of the European Parliament Committee on the Environment.

The German Environment Ministry has also joined the chorus of critics, calling the discrepancy a huge problem.

"We want to work with the European Commission to develop a common calculation base that will actually reflect reality. Massaging the figures won't help anyone, and it won't create trust," said Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks.

Success on paper only

Motorized traffic accounts for a third of Europe's greenhouse gas emissions. With current levels remaining stubbornly high, the sector is on track to miss the EU's 2020 climate targets.

This is despite the tough new emissions caps, which Brussels has imposed on carmakers. This year, for instance, the average emission rate for a new passenger car cannot exceed 130 grams CO2 per kilometer (g/km). In terms of fuel consumption, this is the equivalent of 5.4 liters per 100 kilometers (l/km).

Thanks to the dubious NEDC test procedure, meeting this target has proved easy. Last year, reported carbon emissions averaged 123g/km, or 5.1l/100km.

Outside the lab, however, it's a different picture altogether. According to ICCT calculations, new cars really averaged 172g/km, or 7.1l/100km, 2014.

Higher standards

The EU plans to introduce a new and tougher testing procedure in 2017. The so-called World Harmonized Light Duty Tests Procedure (WLTP) aims to give consumers a more realistic picture of a vehicle's carbon emission and fuel consumption levels.

"This is very much needed. This must be implemented as soon as humanly possible, and we in the European Parliament will do our damnedest to see that this happens," said Florenz.

Among the panel of experts developing the WLTP are high-ranking members of the auto industry. Environmental groups see the reform as an important first step. But they fear it won't be enough to close the gap.

"We still expect deviations of up to 20 percent, so, as things stand, we're not happy with the outcome," said Julia Hildermeier, Clean Vehicles Officer at Transport & Environment, a European umbrella for non-governmental environmental organizations.

Can the US lead the way?

The Brussels-based think tank is calling for realistic measuring methods. "We want cars to be tested even after they leave the dealership, so as to make sure that they continue to comply with regulations," said Hildermeier.

The ICCT supports similar measures, recommending tests be carried out in independent labs run by government authorities. Similar practices already exist in the US, and with much success.

"If the results differ from the official claims, carmakers can expect sanctions and penalties," explained Mock. "We looked into it and found deviations of just 1 percent. This makes potential buyers in the US expertly informed," compared to here in Europe.

Whether the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) will welcome similar measures remains to be seen. The association declined several interview requests, citing "scheduling conflicts."